In what could come as good news for fans, Cricket Australia is reportedly mulling the possibility of hosting the Big Bash League (BBL) opening game in India in the next season. This development comes as two out of eight BBL franchises are close to being sold, and CA wanting to explore the lucrative Indian market. At present, Indian Premier League (IPL) is the only global T20 league that is held in India annually.
BBL 16 opener in Chennai?
As per SEN Cricket, two Cricket Australia officials have travelled to Chennai to explore the possibility of the city hosting the BBL opener. The two officials, Phil Rigby and Margot Harley, came down to the Tamil Nadu capital to engage in further discussions and explore the logistical challenge of hosting a BBL game away from Australia, the report states. The report claims that Perth Scorchers could be one side which will play in Chennai, owing to the time zone and the willingness of the West Australia Cricket Association (WACA) to consider offers from some prominent Indian businessmen.
However, in order for the deal to be completed, CA must get approvals from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the stakeholders and the broadcaster.
“A deal is far from complete, given approval would need to be granted from various stakeholders, including broadcasters and the BCCI. As Cricket Australia leans into the Indian market, there is a view among key figures that an annual game in Chennai could boost the sport in the same way rugby league has ventured to Las Vegas in recent times,” the report states.
The Big Bash League (BBL) usually takes place in the December-January window. The first game of the BBL 2025/26 edition was held on December 14 last year. It will be interesting to see what will BCCI’s stance be.
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